Toy vehicle



March 15 1927.

s. BURKE TOY VEHI CLE Filed Se pt. 18. 1926 Pa tented Mar. 15, 1927. i

TENT OFFICE/ ARTHUR s. BURKE, or sIoUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

. TOY VEHICLE.

Application fi1ed September 18, 1926. Serial No. 136,332.

This invention relates to a toy vehicle, and particularly to'the construction of the leverage system used for propelling the same. In prior constructions of this character the 5 power is directly applied from the foot pedal to the wheel actuating lever by a rigidconnection, and, generally the pedal and lever have a common fulcrum to which each is secured, so that the length of driving stroke 1 of the lever must be identical with the length ofthe pedal stroke. In a device of this type the pedal stroke is necessarily limited in-eX- tent with the result that only a short propel ling movement is imparted by the actuating leverto 'the 'wheelwvhich requires a very rapid operation of the pedal to effect a desirable speed or propel thedevice forward a given distance.

- For the reasons just stated the operation of the vehicle requires more strength than the average child is able to apply, particularly when ascending a grade or overcoming inertia insta-rting. If the pedal and lever.

be rigidly connected there is no difference in the intialpower applied 'for starting nor any subsequentacceleration o t'the' actuating lever during its travel.

- I overcome these serious objections in the practical operation of the vehicle by providing a compound leverage through Which a greaterarc of travel is transmitted to the v 7 actuating lever than the length of stroke imparted to the; pedal or power lever. This efiects a much greater extent of forward propulsion upon each pedal stroke than can be secured by a direct rigid connection between the pedal and lever. Further, by the use of a movable or link connection between the power and actuating levers the leverage is 40 changed during the drivingstroke of the actuating lever so that the greatest leverage is initially applied to overcome inertia and this leverage gradually decreased during the travel of the actuating lever to etfectlan ac celeration of its movement as it approaches the end of its propelling stroke. This result.

is secured by a change in position of the connecting member between the pedal and lever during the driving action and reduces the effort required for operation.

Ithas also been found particularly efiicient to pivot the actuating lever separately from the power lever so that the length of the actuating lever may bechanged to affect the relative extent of propulsion transmitted from the power lever through the link connection at the rear of the power lever.

The invention has for an object to provide anovel :and improved construction which the. frame is provided with supporting wheels one of which is propelled, and a power lever mounted uponthe frame-rand connected with an actuating lever controlling the propelled wheel so that aegreater degree -.or' extent of travel is secured at the actuating leverthan that imparted to Qdthe powerlever or pedal. I 1

A further objector the invention isto provide a compound leverage propelling system involving a powerlever and a :separate actuating lever having a movable con} nection with the power lever :by which the maximum power is applied to the actuating lever in the initial movement of the power lever for propelling purposes. 1.

I Another object of the invention is to pro.- vide a pivoted power lever having a movable link connection with'an actuating lever, said levers being so proportioned and pivoted thatthe power transmitted from the power lever is gradually decreasedand the'zspeed of the actuating lever accelerated during its propelling travel.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set 8 forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims. V

In'the accompanying drawing 7 'Figure 1. is a side elevation showingthe 1 invention applied to a toy vehicle; V

Figure 2 is .an enlarged rear elevation-03E the propelling wheel;

-Figure-3 is a detail 'verti'cal'se'ction show ing the ratchet connection for the propelling wheel; and V Figure 4 is a. detail side elevation 'illus trating the restoring spring for said wheel.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawing. Y

The numeral lO' desi-gnates the frame of the vehicle which is of the well known scooter type and provided witha steering v post 11 swiveled at its forward. end and car .rying a wheel 12 and the usual handle I3. 1705' and is bifurcated at its rear portion to embrace a propelling wheel 16. Theportions 15 of the frame are connected byan axle member 17 upon which is mounted a spider 18 of a clutch device which may be of any desired construction and carried by the wheel. This member 18. is herein shown as surrounded by the hub 19of a driving in one direction. V

drum 20 and intermediate of the hub 19-and the spider arms a series of rollers or balls 21 is disposed to effect a wedging clutch in the movement'of the drum to drive the wheel For the purpose of restoring the drum 2O after its clutched connection in the driving action a coil sprlng 22 is provided, one end thereof being securedto the hub. 19 ofthe either hand or foot actuatedbut preferably 7 drum and the opposite end to the frame15 as at 23. r v V 1 For the purpose of propelling the vehicle a'power lever 25 is'providednnd may be comprises a pedal member disposed upon the frame in convenient position to'be actuat'ed by the right foot of the operator.

This lever is pivoted at 26upon a support 27 and the angularly disposed rear end 28 thereof pivotally connected with a link 29 pivoted intermediate the ends of the actuatingor. driving lever '30 which is fulcrumed upon the support 27 at 31. It will be noted that the pivots for the power and actuating levers are independent,; which permits the use of actuating levers of differentlengths to vary the distances of propulsion at a single stroke, and also facilitates the pivoted link connection which shifts in the relative travel of the levers so as to apply the maxi mum power. at the beginning of the propelling stroke and decreasing this power with an accelerated speed during the remainder of the stroke until the driving lever is in the vertical position-indicated by dotted lines in Figure 1. This driving lever is connected ,with the drum 20 by a flexible connection .ageand the acceleration in movement occurring between the power and driving levers, a diagram is applied by'dotted lines to Fig. 1 showing relative steps in the movement of these levers. For instance, between the points 1 and 2, which is initial or startingposition of the levers, the maximum le verage is exerted and between the positions 2 and 3 the powerlever travels the same dis 1 t'ance as between positions 1 and 2 but the driving lever traverses a greater are and 7 driving stroke. 7

the link position is so changed that there is a gradualdecrease 1n leverage and increase n speed.

that the greatest length of travel occurs in the latter position where the speed is accelerated and the leveragedecrease'd to a minimum. r

During the restoring of the parts there is no driving connection owing to the reverse action of the clutchso that the relation of the levers is not concerned except in the It will be observed that the construction provided by this invention comprises a compound leverage in which the connection from This proceeds progressively be tween the positions 3 and t and 4 and 5, so

the power lever shifts in its'relation t0 the actuatinglever and the latter is adapted for a length of strokematerially greater than that imparted to the power lever or pedal.

While the details of the inventionhave been herein shown anddescribed, it is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departlng'from the spirit thereof as defined by the following claims. v Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to by Letters Patent is 1. In a toy vehicle, a frame provided with supporting wheels, one of which is secure propelled; a power lever, an actuating lever connected to the wheel to be propelled, and

a connection between said levers by which a' greater extent of travel is transmitted to the actuating lever than the extent of travel imparted to the power lever.

2. In a toy vehicle, a frame provided with supporting wheels, one ofwhich is pro-, pelled, a power lever,an actuating-lever connected to the wheel to be propelled,and a movable connection betweensaidfllevers by whlch the maxlmum leverage is'applled at. the beg nning of the power stroke and'such leverage decreased with an accelerationxof speed ofthe actuating lever during its pro gressive travel.

3. In a toy vehicle, a frame provided with supporting wheels, one of which is pro! pelled, apower lever comprising a pedal 'member, an actuating leverv disposed above the power lever and connected 'to, the wheel to be propelled and adapted for a greater length of stroke than the power lever, and a link connection between said levers. V

4-. In a toy vehicle, a frame provided with supporting'wheelsone of which is propelled, a power lever, -an actuating lever connected to the wheel. to be propelled and adapted for a greater length of stroke than" said power lever, and a movable connection between said levers.

5. Ina toyvehicle, a frame provided with supporting wheels one of which is propelled, a power lever, an actuating lever.

' connected to the Wheel to be propelled pelled, a plat-form on said frame, a support.

a pedal lever pivoted intermediate its ends upon said support with its free end extended to the forward portion of the platform, a separately pivoted driving lever extended adjacent the axis of the propelled wheel and having a flexible connection to the wheelto be propelled, and a movable connection between said levers.

7 In a toy vehicle, a frame provided-with supporting wheels, one of which. is propelled, a platform on said frame, a support,

a pedal lever pivoted'intermediate its ends,

upon said support, a separately pivoted driving lever having a flexible connection to the wheel to be propelled, a movable c-on- I nection between said levers, adrum upon which SEIlClflBXlblB connectlon 1s wound, a

one-way clutch between said drum and wheel, and a' restoring spring extending from the drum to theivehicle frame.

, 8. In a toy vehicle, a frame provided'with' supporting wheels, one of which is .pro-

pelled, a support upon said frame, a power lever pivoted upon said support intermedigularly disposed, a driving lever pivoted upon the support above said power lever, a flexible connection from the driving lever ate its ends and having its rear portion anl to the wheel to be propelled, and a link pivoted to the rear end of the power lever'and intermediate the ends of the driving lever.

9. A leverage system for a toy vehicle comprising a power lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends, a driving lever piv-' oted above the power lever and at the rear of the pivot thereof, a link connecting the rear end ofthe power lever with the driving lever intermediate its ends, a one-way clutch disposed to actuate a propelling wheel, and a flexible con'nection from said clutch to said driving lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR 's. BURKE. 

